1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copy machine, and a facsimile that forms an image on a sheet, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus to which a removable member is mounted when it is shipped and from which the removable member is removed before it is used.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to vibration or shock that an image forming apparatus incurs while it is being transported, a movable unit set in a movable state is moved and damages itself or a body of the apparatus, thereby causing filler contained in the apparatus to leak. Thus, the apparatus is often shipped with following removable members mounted therein. The removable members include a member that fixes the movable unit to prevent it from moving relative to the body of the apparatus due to vibration or shock, a member that covers specific parts for protection, and a member that prevents the filler from leaking.
To use the apparatus, a user needs to remove the removable members. If the user forgets to remove it, the image forming apparatus may not operate correctly or generate troubles. Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2007-298857 discusses a configuration in which, when using the apparatus, if the user opens an apparatus door, mounts a cartridge, and then tries to close the door without removing the removable member, the cartridge and the removable member interferes with each other, which prevents closing of the door. With such a configuration, the user can easily recognize that he has forgotten to remove the removable member and can remember removing the removable member.
As described above, Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2007-298857 discusses a method that causes the user who mounts the cartridge into the apparatus before using the apparatus, to recognize the removable member and remember removing it.
However, in recent years, for a purpose of reducing a volume of a packing member, an image forming apparatus has been transported with the cartridge mounted therein. Accordingly, since a user does not mount the cartridge before using the apparatus, the configuration discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2007-298857 cannot be adopted.